A Man Is In Love
by Moonlight Enchantments
Summary: Eventually, you can't go on pretending. Reela song fic, based on the song by The Waterboys. Slightly angsty, but mainly fluff!


**A/N Hey dudes, this is a quick song-fic. I wanted to write something before I went away, for a week and a half or so, and this song always makes me think about Ray. It's by the Waterboys and it is a truely beautiful song. This fic is... slightly angsty, but mainly fluff fluff fluff! I hope you enjoy.**

**Oh, and the POV changes are inbetween each lot of lyrics, it goes Ray, Neela, Abby, Neela, Ray. I hope it makes sense**

A Man Is In Love

_A man is in love,_

_How did I know?_

_He came walking with me_

_And told me so,_

"Abby, I really need to talk to you."

"No, what you need to do is talk to _her_."

I sighed, "Abby, you know I've tried. She just throws it back in my face."

"Ray, keep trying."

"Why should I? She's made it perfectly clear that..."

"She loves you Ray. That's what she's made perfectly clear. She ran away from you because she loves you, and she thought that was the wrong thing to feel, that's why she's still running away from you now. Guilt."

"She doesn't need to feel guilty," I said, quietly.

"I know that, but she does anyway. Look, I've got to go, please... just talk to her."

I leaned against the wall and looked out over Lake Michigan. It looked so beautiful. Maybe I should go live in the country, away from all this... stuff. No, I'd never cope in the country.

"I'll talk to her tonight, at my gig. Can you get her there? Please Abby, she won't talk to me right now."

Abby sighed, "I'll try. But you owe me Barnett."

"I owe you a hell of a lot more than one, Lockhart. Thanks."

_In a song that he sang,_

_And then I knew,_

_A man is in love,_

_With you_

"Abby, why are you making me come to this. I don't want to see him."

"I think you should though. This isn't doing either of you any good."

"What, exactly, is _this_?" I asked.

"Neela, you know what I mean. Just go in, and see what happens."

"I don't... I don't want to just see what happens."

Abby pushed me through the door, "Sometimes you have to."

We went in mid-gig. Ray was singing. The sight of him nearly made my legs buckle, I wanted to turn round, run away, but Abby was a firm force at my back, pushing me through the crowds to a small table. I loved the way he sang, so much emotion. Sometimes he could make you feel like he was singing for you, just you.

_A man is in love,_

_How did I hear?_

_I heard him talk to much_

_When you are near_

"Neela, Abby," he said, walking up to our table, "I'm so glad you could make it."

"Pleasure," I said, raising my eyebrows.

"Yeah, it was a great show."

"Gig, Neela, gig. I've told you. I do gigs, not shows," he said with a smile.

"Right, yeah."

"So did you like the new songs? Or do you prefer the old ones? I'm not really sure myself, Brett wrote most of the new ones, though I wrote a couple and... I'm just not really sure about mine because they're a bit... I don't know, feeling-y."

Barnett, shut-up. He talks so much when she's around, I guess it's kind of cute how nervous he gets. But all he needs to say are three little words. I'm not even part of this "couple" but I feel like I should be. I'd make a better job of it than these two would, dancing around each other. And they all expect me to do it for them? Well... sometimes one must lend a helping hand.

"I thought they were really good," Neela said with a smile.

"Ray, wasn't there something you wanted to talk to Neela about? I'll just go get some drinks and leave you two in peace."

_He whispered your name,_

_When his eyes were closed,_

_A man is in love,_

_And he knows_

Abby walked away, and I felt suddenly nervous. What the hell was I meant to say to her?

I'd dreamed about her in my sleep, dreamed that she felt the same way. But in real life, that seemed so unrealistic. It was the thing of my dreams, of course it could never come true. I couldn't go on like this though, wondering. I had to know now. Abby said she felt the same way but Neela made me think everything else. She confused me. But I loved her, I couldn't help myself.

She was perfect to me, she was so beautiful, whether she was trying to be or not. I thought she was most beautiful in a trauma, covered in gunk, her hair tied in a messy ponytail, a serious, caring look in her eyes. She was my opposite in so many ways, clean, organised. And I'd started to become a bit more like her, only a little, but it was enough that people had started to notice. She could be very British, and the accent well... that just knocked me for six the first time I heard her. Then I'd thought about her, for a minute or two. I'd never realised I would start thinking about her more and more.

I wanted to know if she thought about me.

"Neela?" I said, quietly.

_A man is in love,_

_How did I guess?_

_I figured it out while he was_

_Watching your dress_

"Yes, Ray?" I replied, hoping this wasn't going to be a serious conversation. This was exactly what I'd wanted to avoid, being alone with him. I didn't know what I would do when I was alone with him. It could be a very embarrassing situation.

"Neela, I have to know... do you think about me?" he asked.

"I..." do I be honest, or do I lie? He was watching me warily. I didn't want to hurt him. I didn't want to lie to him. "Yes Ray, I think of you."

He just looked at me, as if he was drinking me in. His eyes looked all around my face then settled on my eyes. "And Neela?"

"Yes?"

"Do you love me?"

_He'd give you his all,_

_If you'd but agree,_

_A man is in love,_

_And he's me_

I could see her trying to decide what to say. Her eyes looked away from mine, and she took a deep breath.

"I hoped you'd never ask me that."

"Why?" I asked, "Are you scared of the answer?"

"Yes," she said with a sigh."I'm scared that... what I think is wrong."

"Don't feel guilty Neela. I love you, you know that don't you?" I was sick of not being able to tell her. I wanted her to know my feelings, I wanted to know hers. I couldn't pretend any more.

She nodded, "I think I did."

"You've not answered my question."

She looked into my eyes, "Yes, I love you Ray."

My heart skipped a beat. "I can't pretend that I don't feel anything for you any more. Not now."

"I don't think I want you to."

"I... I want you to be sure."

She smiled, "I'm sure."

I grinned, I couldn't help it. My heart felt like it was trying to break free from my body. I felt like I could do anything in that moment. Fly? Sure, call me Superman. But there was only one thing I wanted to do. I got up and walked towards her. I cupped my hands around her face, stroking her cheeks with my thumbs. Her eyes were filling with tears.

"Don't cry, Roomie."

"Is this the right thing to do?"

Before I could answer Abby came over with the drinks. "Yes, Neela, it's the right thing to do."

I smiled, "We should listen to her more often." I leaned down and kissed Neela gently on the lips.


End file.
